Once again the Vienna Philharmonic (Wiener Philharmoniker) has given
its annual New Year’s Concert from the Golden Hall of the Vienna
Musikverein (Goldener Saal des Wiener Musikvereins). Steeped in musical
tradition the annual event goes from strength to strength. In 2013
the New Year's Concert was broadcast on television and radio to 81
countries around the world which is double the number receiving the
broadcast a decade ago. For those watching on New Year’s morning
the cameraman enjoys looking at the audience for famous faces such
as Julie Andrews and various European aristocracy and politicians.
I enjoyed the concert conducted this year by Austrian Franz Welser-Möst
who holds prestigious positions as General Music Director of the Vienna
State Opera and Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra. He is no
stranger to the annual New Year’s concert having been the conductor
as recently as 2011.

The traditional fare of waltzes, polkas and quadrilles derives primarily
from the Strauss dynasty. This year seven works by Josef Strauss were
programmed to mark the attendance in the Golden Hall of his nineteen
year old great-grand daughter Hedwig Aigner-Strauss as a guest of
the Vienna Philharmonic. A number of other works by contemporaries
of the Strauss dynasty are notably from Josef Hellmesberger II with
his polka Unter vier Augen (Between the Two of Us) and Joseph
Lanner’s Steyrische Tänze (Styrian Dances). As a
‘special’ another Strauss family contemporary Franz von
Suppé is represented by his perennially popular Light Cavalry
Overture. The programme includes eleven compositions receiving
their first ever appearance at a New Year's Concert. Suitably the
‘specials’ include a short work each by Richard Wagner
and Giuseppe Verdi whose bicentennials are being commemorated this
year.

We also hear the ubiquitous encore pieces An der schönen blauen
Donau (By the Beautiful Blue Danube) and the Radetzky March.
Among the eleven works receiving their first performance at a New
Year’s Concert I especially enjoyed the romantic and rather
sentimental polka Unter vier Augen (Between the Two of Us)
by Joseph Hellmesberger II and the memorably tuneful Melodien Quadrille
(Melodies Quadrille) from the pen of Johann Strauss II. Light Cavalry
is given a highly robust performance with the opening brass fanfare
sounding quite magnificent. Briskly played with real commitment is
Wagner’s Vorspiel zum Dritten Aufzug (Prelude to Act
3) from Lohengrin. Also most welcome is the vibrant playing
of Verdi’s Prestissimo: Ballet Music from Act 3 of Don
Carlo.This year my favourite of all is another first-timer:
Johann Strauss II’s waltz Aus den Bergen (From the Mountains),
such an attractive and memorable work with a splendid array of melody
and moods. Although not written by a member of the Strauss dynasty
I am sad that my favourite Viennese waltz Franz Lehár’s
Gold and Silver was not included.

On the television screen Welser-Möst doesn’t come across
as the most charismatic conductor around today. Clearly this doesn’t
matter at all when listening to the CD as he certainly has a predilection
for Straussian Viennese dance music. Under his charge the Vienna Philharmonic
provide consistently crisp rhythms playing with vibrancy and a real
spirit. It’s all quite magical at times. This is marvellous
music-making that just overflows with great appeal and sheer entertainment.
It’s no wonder that these concerts remain one of the world’s
most difficult events to obtain tickets. One day I might be lucky!
The sound quality from the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein is
most satisfying with excellent clarity and balance. Each year the
respective CD lacks individual timings of each work so I have taken
the timings from playing the disc; applause is included. I found the
booklet essay written by Prof. Dr. Clemens Hellsberg,
Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic, interesting and highly informative.
For those that don’t know the news is that the Vienna Philharmonic
has invited Daniel Barenboim to conduct the New Year’s Concert
in 2014.